What to Make of the Cubs Slow Start in 2026 Spring Training
Spring Training of the 2026 MLB season kicked off last week, and the Chicago Cubs are six games into their schedule, which stretches nearly another month. Spring Training is viewed as an opportunity for young prospects to prove themselves to their organizations, as well as a precursor to the regular season, allowing established players to get back into the swing of things before Opening Day. The Cubs were one of the top teams in the National League last season, and one with high hopes of continuing that success this year. However, their first few games of Spring Training have been quite uninspiring.
In their first game of the spring slate, the Cubs took a pounding at the hands of their crosstown rival, the Chicago White Sox, 8-1. This was immediately followed by two more losses to the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants, by scores of 3-2 and 4-2, respectively, to start Spring Training at 0-3. From here, the Cubs started to get on track with one-score victories against the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres, but fell to the Colorado Rockies by a final score of 14-7 in their latest matchup. So, is the Cubs’ disheartening start nothing to worry about, or something indicative of how the team will look during the 2026 regular season?
At this point in Spring Training, it’s important not to overreact to anything, whether the storylines in question are positive or negative. The Cubs still have a very strong roster, and the poor results during their first few exhibition games can be chalked up to nothing more than the team getting the feel for things and coming into their own in the new year. On the offensive side, the team has inexperienced prospects who are showing flashes in the pan, such as infielders B.J. Murray and Pedro Ramirez, both of whom have three hits in 10 or fewer at-bats through these six games. Then there’s the pitching roster; arguably the team’s biggest addition of this offseason, starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, has yet to see the mound, and the rotation is still awaiting the return of leftie Justin Steele, who missed most of last season with an injury, meaning the pitching rotation is still quite an unclear picture that undoubtedly has untapped potential. All in all, Cubs fans should not look at the disappointing start to Spring Training as a reason for worry; the team is still primed for a strong 2026 campaign.
